


Just twelve minutes

by Ex-Genesis (orphan_account)



Category: Disney RPF
Genre: Angst, Incest, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-27
Updated: 2010-06-27
Packaged: 2017-11-12 15:48:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/492941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Ex-Genesis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During the interview, Nick's thoughts keep his mind off track, and he needs a break to gather some stability, to figure some stuff out, to just have a few less worries bogging him down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just twelve minutes

Interviews could be a drag... Even though the day so far had been pretty good, and Nick was feeling really well, health-wise, with energy and everything he needed to be productive. Still, knowing that his moves would be watched, that his words could be twisted, taken out of context, used as headlines - a magazine bought in hopes that the Jonas Brothers would make, had made a million mistakes, that they were vulnerable, ready to be taken down a notch.  
  
For the past few months, ever since the movie was released, articles kept going into how unfortunate the sales were. It wasn't as bad as all that. People believed it though. He'd pretty much started believing it, himself. Well, he would have, not because he's stupid or one who can be molded by the media, but just because of his insecurities. Joe, though, kept him away from all that.  
  
19 million dollars? That was a lot of money... Their television show? So what if it didn't beat out anything? People were watching it. The fans that started watching it, kept watching it. They were enjoying it. So really, what was the problem? Nick couldn't argue with that... So Joe kept him on a level where he was comfortable.  
  
No, he didn't sleep well, too much going on in his head, trying to figure things out. More than just anyone would assume. Really, his life wasn't  _all_  music, all fans, all diabetes, thanks. It was a lot more than that, and sometimes he even worried over the fact that people didn't realize that. It was just too much to keep up with. He needed more hours in a day. But that would only result in a shorter year. Less time to write, record, produce, shoot, promote, be personable.  
  
Anyway he considered it, he was stuck. But Kevin, and especially Joe, were right at his side. It was the only thing he could really count on. Then again, he had to worry about that too. Like when they would decide it was time to leave him. But he couldn't think about that now, not while there was a woman sitting across from him, looking at him like he's - sort of like he's a guitar.  
  
Something to be played, recognizable. Pick up a Nick Jonas, and doors will open. He wasn't trying to be conceited... It was just the way people looked at them. Like they were golden. He didn't even hate it all the time, just sometimes, when there was already too much going on, and he didn't have the energy to defend himself against those who actually would use him and his brothers for their own gain.  
  
Like horses on a carousel, the thoughts kept going around in his head, circling him. After all, he was the middle-point, the inner workings of his thoughts, and they were tethered to him. What did he have to do after this? Would they have enough time to eat? At their next show, is he going to be ready? Or is he going to screw up his lines again? Why did they have to give him so much of the lyrics (he had been fine having over half in the previous albums; he didn't need even more)?  
  
"Excuse me," he said when she paused. He thought it was between questions, or he hoped it was at least. Nick hadn't been able to focus though. All he knew was that no one was talking anymore and he had better jump in there before it started up again. When she looked at him curiously, and Joe and Kevin looked at him in a similar, more concerned way, he brushed passed the little lump in his throat. "Sorry about this. May I just run - to the restroom really quick?" Maybe there was a better way to handle the situation, but all Nick could think of in that moment was getting out of the room so he could reattach his brain waves to the nerves that were supposed to help him function. The bathroom.  
  
While Joe patted his knee, she answered kindly, "Oh of course. It'll be just out that door - Bobby should be able to point you in the right direction. Take your time." Her smile was warm, and though he appreciated it, a lot of people could be really nice on the outside, seem trust-worthy, but he didn't know how to take it anymore. Courteous as always, he nodded his thanks and rose from the chair, starting toward the door, running a hand through his hair. Instinctively, Joe followed close behind, which didn't surprise Kevin very much and before he stood as well, he offered her explanation and begged her forgiveness.  
  
"Sorry... Maybe it would be best if we just went at the same time. No more interruptions?" She nodded and watched closely as they all three walked out the door, unfolding her leg and running a thumb across the screen of the recorder she held in her hand, taking a glance at the watch around her other wrist.  
  
\---  
  
Once they were down the hall a little ways, after having gotten directions, Joe jabbed Nick's shoulder with the back of his wrist as they walked, smiling, laughing a little. "So Bobby is like the coolest name ever in an English accent. 'Bobby'." Nick and Kevin shook their heads at him, but Nick actually laughed a little before turning his eyes toward Joe, raking over them over his brother. Somehow, seeing Joe so - well, made him feel more stable.  
  
"Yeah, it is pretty cool, Joe," he agreed in that tone of voice. Like, he agreed, but wished he didn't because it seemed like a stupid thing to give thought to. He really didn't even have time for things like that... But Joe was always pushing him out of his doom room, and into a place a little sunnier.  
  
They reached the corner, a few steps away from the door when Kevin stopped walking. Joe gave him a short glance before pushing the door in and leaving Nick standing there as Kevin leaned back against the wall, bending his knee, placing one foot flat against the plaster behind him. Sometimes he didn't care to have more manners than that - not when it was just him and his brothers around. For a few moments, Nick and Kevin looked at each other unblinkingly before Nick stepped a little closer, taking his hands out of his pockets, letting his wall down for a moment of sincerity.  
  
"Thank you, Kevin." Nick's eyes were still, focused, he was giving all the meaning he could afford into that sentence.  
  
Kevin smiled. "Hey, Nick. You guys are good. I get it - now - more than before." Squeezing Nicks shoulder a little, he then put his own hand into his pocket, letting Nick go, but his little brother shot him one last look before turning into the bathroom. Nick loved Kevin, needed him, just in a different way than he needed Joe.  
  
\---  
  
When Nick walked in, Joe was zipping up his pants, and walking over to the sink where he started washing his hands. Joe looked over to him, nodded his head a little, and then smiled softly. "Didn't really have to - huh?" Shaking his head, no, Nick came to stand at the other sink, looking into the mirror, not even thinking enough to pretend like he was actually seeing his reflection. "Well I did, so, thanks man." He laughed a little, drying his hands and tossing the paper towel in the bin by the door.  
  
"No problem, Joe," Nick answered softly, turning his attention to a part of the sink where the porcelain had been knocked off, digging his too-long thumb nail into it. Coming back around, Joe gripped the sink, leaning on it, looking at Nick in the mirror. His smile wasn't there, but there was pure, unadulterated love in his eyes, just for Nick, and when Nick looked up, looked at Joe's reflection looking at his own, he couldn't help the smile that spread across his lips. Which, of course, got a proud smile from Joe.  
  
Turning to Nick, he rested the side of his hip against the counter, folding his arms in front of him. "So, what's the game this time, buddy? We gonna throw the trash can over, stand on it, push the ceiling tile up and escape by roof? Or are we going to stopper the sinks with paper towels, flood it out?"  
  
Nick let his body sway into Joe's a little, knocking his shoulder against Joe's chest, which Joe grabbed playfully, acting like it could have actually hurt him when Nick was letting barely any force come out from anywhere inside of him. "When do we get to be us?"  
  
Seriously... Nick's life wasn't all about music. It definitely wasn't about fame, or all about the fans, or money, or whatever most people thought it was about. For the most part, Nick was kind of about Joe. No one would ever think it. Not from the way Joe gave up his ambitions to follow Nick in his dreams. Not the way Joe was always saving Nick.  
  
But Nick was definitely about Joe, about defending him when others over-stepped their bounds. He was about making jokes, making fun of Joe in a way that only he and Joe knew - Nick was really making fun of the people who ever thought Nick meant any of it. Nick was really making fun of the people who thought they knew Joe well enough to cast him with faults. Because they were ignorant, and always would be, and yeah, it made Nick a little sad, but if they'd just kept their thoughts to themselves, he wouldn't have had any awareness of their ridiculousness.   
  
He was all about Joe, trying to figure out ways for Joe to be happy even though he wasn't acting. He was about Joe whenever he stepped out of line with his father. He was about Joe 90% of the time he was breathing, because he wasn't sure he would have ever chosen to be born, be sent to earth, if he hadn't known Joe was going to be there, waiting for him.  
  
A muffled noise of understanding came from Joe as he unfolded his arms and took Nicks' hands into his own, pulling him in for a hug. "Soon. Not much longer..." Joe held his arms tight around Nicks' shoulders as Nick wrapped his arms around Joe's waist, bending his neck down so he could bury his face into Joe's neck, breathe. "Just little over a year, Nick, and then I promise. I promise that we'll be done with all of this 'fun' and - Camilla, she already knows we aren't getting married. I've talked to her about it. She brought it up, actually, and she wasn't ready, and I told her that I wasn't planning on getting married for a really, really long time. And - we'll be done with all of that. Then, we can be us. We're still us, right now, Nick. Remember?" Nick nodded his head, and Joe could feel just how tight his little brother was squeezing his eyes shut against the skin at his neck. "Okay, good. Becuase we never weren't us, and we never won't be us. You can't forget that, okay?" Nick nodded his head again, and it seemed like he was really trying hard to not be a kid, but that's kind of what he was, what Joe still was, what Kevin still was.  
  
Placing a kiss on the top of Nick's head, gently running his fingers through his brown curls, down his back until his hands were back in his own pockets, feeling Nick squeeze his hips as he pulled away himself, they gave each other one last look, a small smile, took a deep breath, and walked out. Joe swung an arm over Kevin's shoulder and pulled him back to the room, brushing knuckles with Nick as they walked.  
  
Once they had sat back down in their chairs, Nick and Joe leaning a little more into each other than before, trying to give a warm smile, she asked a question that made their smiles fade, but all three nodded in response. "Twelve minutes. Everything okay, boys?"


End file.
